Progress Report: NHL 2K7

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Checking people into the boards never felt so good.

By David Clayman

Today at Sony's Gamer Day 2006, we were clued in to the remaining mysteries surrounding the PS3. The PlayStation Network, online games, and the online store were revealed, but as usual, the most important part of the event was the hands-on time we spent with the actual titles. NBA 2K7 and NHL 2K7 appeared next to each other and both looked like top notch entries for the launch catalog.

To preface my further remarks on the game I should first state that it is nearly identical to the Xbox 360 version. The game runs at a maximum of 720p and graphically looks very similar to what we saw before. The options and this year's features are exactly the same too, so if you have any questions regarding what this version includes you can check out all of our previous coverage. However, there are a few goodies packed into the PS3 edition.

The main attraction is the tilt control that takes advantage of the SIXAXIS motion sensors. Swinging the controller to the left or right makes defensive players go in for a check. This is also used for crease control by moving the goalie's vision cone back and forth when there's an incoming shot. So far this is the best feeling implementation of Sony's new controller that I've experienced. Swinging the controller to the side when going in for a hit feels just right, and the goalie control really heightens the excitement of making a save.

A representative from 2K Sports mentioned that the company has plans to expand the title for next year's PS3 version of the game and really take advantage of the Blu-ray capacity. He stated that the extra space is ideal for things like more in-game commentary, cinematics, etc. Right now the game is looking like a quality launch title with a smooth frame rate and enticing control additions. We'll have more on NHL 2K7 as the PS3 launch approaches.